Resilient shackle



Patented Mar. 15, 1927.

1,620,642@ Parenti ofrrrcn WILLIAMf A; GEIGER, OFCHIGAGO; ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY ASSIGNMENTS, TO"

W. I-I; MINER, INC., CORPORATION OF DELAWARE;

RZEISILEINYTA SHACKLE.

Application ledlseptembcr 19, 1923.

rllhis invention relates to improvements yin i resilient` shackles.

@ne object of the invention isto provide a simple and relatively inexpensiveresilient `shackle adapted especially for use between miner cars and which is so. arranged* as to cushion both pulling and builing shocks.

A more specific object ofE the invention is to provide a. resilientjshdCk-leof the character indicated, wherein,l arevemployedtandem ar.-

raneeds rin's and the entire mechanismiof`v b l lb i compact form.

In the drawing` forming a part off this specification, Fig. l is a, side elevational View. `ofy portions of twor mine cars showing my improvements used in connection therewith. Fig. 2 is a horizontal, sectional view corresponding substantially to the section line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3'l isa vertical, transverse, sectional view correspondingv to the section line` 3,-3 of Figure 1 Fig. fl; is a detail perspective of one of the spring, follower cages i employed in, my construction. Fig. 5 is an elevational? view of one of the r intermediate followers` employed with my construction. Andi Fig. 6.- isla longitudinal, vertical, sectional view` of the-end portion ofv a mine car showing a modified fornr ofi com nection for the shackle.

In said drawing, each ofthe mine cars is shown` as having; a heavy flooring 10, andA end wall 11i. heavy flooring.;` of the car are two plates or heavy straps 12: and 13. spaced at their outer or free ends to accommodate the ends ofthe shackle therebetween and which is adapted to'be attached to said plates 12 andy llby the usuali coupling pins 14'.

The improved shackle,` as shown, comel prises, broadly, two springI followers A and:` B; two intermediate followers (l andy 1);. two springs E and F; two. straps or yoke acting arms Gr-G extending, toward one mine carA and two additional straps or yokeactingarms ITI-Hz adapted tobe attached: to

the other mine car.

The two spring followers or cages A and B are of like construction andveach is of substantially rectangular outline with twol opposite walls 1515, two intermediate walls 16-16 and. an integral end wall 1,7.,

Szuitably rigidly secured to the Serial Np. 663,684.

drical reccssil` adapted to accommodate and centerl one ofthe springsll or ll; as the ease may be. Eachof the diametrically disposed walls 15 off eachy said, main spring, follower is extended beyond thefintermediateIwalls 16 as indicated atf15a in Figure 1.5 0n. the. outer side ofI each of` saidfexteiisionsla, a pair o flaterally separated and overhanging, lianges 19H-'19ers formed, leavinigzasomef what T-shaped grooveor recess 2O to'faccfmfi-4 modate one of the straps.- or yokeeacting arms G', as hereinafter described'. vllhe edgesV of` the said extensions 152,1' are beveled," oil', as indicated. at 21, the planes ofsaidedges coinciding with two intersecting` planes pass ing through the axis of the mechanism and. arranged at "V apart, as best illustrated in Figure 3l The two mainl followersA and B., when' the parts` are assembled, are turned, relatively to each, other; through anV angle ofi" 90?. The amount of relative movement corresponds to the permissible compression of the springs E andi F;

The two intermediate followers and; D

are of like. construction and each consists ofa disc-hke plate 22 fromwhich areextended, at diametrically opposite points, flaring wings 23--23, the edges 24 olf-saidl wings beingl in e like construction and eachcomprises a mainx strapl section proper 25 having a T-shaped endy 26 at one end and' a: fiangc27' extending in4 a; plane at fright angles to the strap. section properi25'. From the flange section 27 isextended a lug or wing. 28 in a plane per,- pendicular to both of the. planes defined by the flange 27'- andf main strap section 25, Each lug 28'is suitably apertured to accommodate a coupling; pin 1l and it will be understood? that the lugs 28 are each slightly offset from the center line of the strap sections proper 25 so that the two lugs 2S overlap. each other'when the shackle is attached to car.

The two strapsA or yoke-acting arms H are also of like construction and each comprises a main str ap section proper 125 having a T-head 126 at one end and a right angularly odset section 127 at its other end. From the latter is extended a lug 128 suitably apertured to accommodate the other coupling pin when the shackle is attached to the car.

The T-head ends of 'the straps 25 are engaged in the. correspondingly shaped slots 20 of the main follower B and extended away from the latter so that the straps G will be secured to that car which is farthest from the main follower B. Similarly, the T-headed ends of the straps II will be attached to the other main follower' A, the opposite ends of said straps H being attached to that car which is farthest from the main follower A.

Vith the arrangement described, the operation is as follows, assuming a draft action and the righthand car remaining stationary, as viewed in Figure 1. As the lefthand mine car moves toward the left, the straps 1I will be pulled thereby and the latter in turn will pull the main follower A in the same direction. During this action, the main follower B is held stationary by the straps G, said main follower B also holding the intermediate follower D stationary since the latter is in engagement with the ends of the extensions 15a. Move'- ment of the follower A toward the left also produces a similar movement of the intermediate follower C, the wings of which are in engagement with the ends of the extensions 15a of said main follower A. In this manner, it will be evident that both springs E and F are simultaneously compressed. In a bufiing action, and still assuming the righthand car remaining stationary, the main follower B will be moved toward the right, thus carrying with it the intermediate follower D. During this action, it is evident that the main follower A will remain stationary and also the intermediate follower C held thereby. The two springs E and F are thus simultaneously compressed in the same manner as hereinbefore described. During the bufhng action described, the straps or arms Gr will remain stationary, the main follower B sliding with respect thereto. On account of the T-shape of the recess 2O which receives the arms G and H, the latter cannot become disassembled with respect to the main followers to which they are attached. In actual practice, the length of the extensions 15n of the main followers will be made such that the springs will be prevented from over-compression by the intermediate follower D engaging the ends 16a of the walls 16 of the follower A simultaneously with the wings of the intermediate follower C engaging the corresponding ends 16a of the walls 16 of the main follower B.

Referring next to the construction illustrated in Figure 6, 110 designates the heavy fiooring of the mine car, and 112 a heavy strap secured to the flooring. The strap is provided with a forked end portion 149, between the arms of which is pivotally mounted as by a horizontally disposed pin 150, the reduced end portion 151 of a connecting link At the opposite end, the link 152 is horizontally slotted, (hereby providing a pair of spaced arms 153 adapted to receive the lugs or wings 128 of the straps H therebetween, the lugs 128 and arms 153 being perforated to receive the coupling pin 1111, so that the parts arc connected for s vinging movement in a horizontal plane.

It will be evident that the horizontal pivotal connection between the shackle and the strap 112 of the car permits of the shackle being swung in a vertical pla-ne, upwardly or downwardly, when disconnected from the other car, to bring the shackle into a position where it will be out of the way when the car is being handled on the mine hoist or in other places where the room is restricted.

From the preceding description, it will be seen that the tandem cushioning device which I have provided is very compact; consists of few parts which may be relatively inexpensively manufactured; the springs are thoroughly protected from moisture and other deleterious action; the shackle will readily accommodate itself to pivotal movement when the cars are on curved sections of track; and either end of the shackle may be attached to either car.

I have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferred manner of carrying out my invention, but the same is merely illustrative and I contemplate all changes and modifications that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a resilient shackle, the combination with relatively movable casings; of tandem arranged yieldable units within said casings, followers interposed between said units, each of said followers being held by one of the casings and movable with respect to the other casing; oppositely arranged yokes adapted to be connected at their outer ends to adjacent vehicles, and each having its inner end connected to the casing remote from said yoke so as to permitmovement of each yoke toward the casing to which it is connected and restrain relative movement with respect thereto in the opposite direction.

2. In a resilient shackle, the combination with aligned and relatively movable casings; of tandem arranged yieldable units within said casings; followers interposed between said yieldable units, each of said followers being adapted to abut against one of the casings and being movable with reference to the other casing; oppositely arranged yokes having their adjacent ends connected to the casing remote from the body portion of the yoke, said connection permitting relative movement of each yoke toward the casing with which it is connected and restraining movement in the opposite direction.

3. In a resilient shackle, the combination with tandem arranged springs; of tandem arranged sets of main and intermediate followers, said main followers having followeracting portions, and spacing portions extending therefrom for maintaining a predetermined distance between each followeracting portion and the respective intermediate follower farthest therefrom; means for transmitting a pull from one main follower to a vehicle at one end of the shackle remote from said main follower; andvmeans for transmitting a pull from the )ther main follower to another adjacent vehicle at the end of said shackle remote from saidother main follower.

4. In a resilient shackle, the combination with tandem arranged springs; of tandem arranged sets of main and intermediate fol` lowers, each of said main followers comprising a follower-acting portion, and spacing portions vfor maintaining a predetermined distance between each follower-acting portion and the respective intermediate follower farthest therefrom; means for transmittingl a pull from one main follower to a vehicle at one end of the shackle remote from said main follower; and means for transmitting a pull from the other main follower to another adjacent vehicle at the end of said shackle remote from said other main follower, each of said means comprising a yoke connected to its corresjiionding main follower.

In a resilient shackle, the combination with tandem arranged springs; of tandem ar anged sets of main and intermediate followers; means for transmitting a pull from one main follower to a vehicle at one end of the shackle remote from said main follower; and means for transmitting a pull from the other main `follower to another adjacent vehicle at the end of said shackle remote from said other main follower, each of said means comprising a yoke in the form of two separable bai i 6. In a resilient shackle, the combination with tandem arranged springs; of tandem arranged main and intermediate followers; means for maintaining a predetermined distance between each main; follower and the respective intermediate follower farthest therefrom; yoke straps slidably connected with one of said main followers and eX- tended beyond the other of the main followers and adapted to be attached to a vehicle; and yoke straps slidably connected to the second of the main followers and extended beyond the other main follower and adapted to be attached to a vehicle.

7. In a resilient shackle, the combination with a pair of followers; of resilient means co-acting with saidv followers; a yoke connected at one end to one of said followers and adapted to be attached at its other end to a vehicle; means arranged to effect com* pression of said resilient means upon movement of said followers in opposite directions; a second yoke connected at one end to the other of said followers; and means for connecting said last named yoke to an adjacent vehicle comprising a link secured to said last named vehicle for swinging movement in a vertical plane; said yoke being attached to said link for swinging movement in a horizontal plane, said shackle being` movable as a unit to pendent position.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 17th day of September, 1923.

VILLIAM A. GEIGER. 

